Tezpur, Dec 24: The slow progress of construction work of the multi-crore-rupee flyover project at Tezpur’s Mission Chariali has irked the common people here, since commuting daily through the busy crossing at the under-construction flyover area has become a nightmare.
Construction of the nearly 3.2-km-long flyover from the Balipukhuri Tiniali-Kumargaon area up to the Poruwa-Don Bosco High School area, at an estimated cost of Rs 275.9 crore, started on March 1, 2020, and the completion target was 2026. However, in view of the snail’s pace of the construction work, the flyover cannot be expected to be completed within the deadline.
Meanwhile, the road on the western part, from the BP Tiniali up to the first pillar of the flyover in the Kumargaon area, along with the 3.2-km stretch of the road under the flyover, which are being used as service roads, have been severely damaged and are replete with big potholes, resulting in a chaotic situation for vehicular traffic, a fact which is highlighted by the occurrence of several accidents.
Due to the non-systematic way of work, the traffic scenario is chaotic from morning till midnight due to the plying of heavy vehicles. The situation is exacerbated by the lack of timely repair of the service roads, with the potholes taking bigger dimensions and posing a serious threat to the commuters and their vehicles.
The commuters have decried the dilapidated road and expressing deep concern over the lackadaisical attitude of the construction company. They have alleged that the failure of the authorities concerned to ensure timely repairs of the service roads of the under-construction flyover has taken a heavy toll on the commuters over the past couple of years. People who have to drive their vehicles through this route have expressed their annoyance over the non-systematic work and poor maintenance of the service roads. They have laid stress on the need for immediate repair of these service roads as these are not only causing delays during busy school and office hours but also during other times of the day.
It is pertinent to mention that the pathetic condition of the service roads forces commuters to navigate through potholes and uneven surfaces, leading to protracted traffic jams and increased risk of accidents.
The local residents have lamented that the lack of proper maintenance and planning has been a recurring issue on this stretch of the flyover construction area, covering a distance of around 3.2 km from the Torajan Kumargaon area (BP Tiniali) up to the Porua Chariali area via the Mission Chariali traffic point, with the commuters often bearing the brunt of the authorities’ neglect. Expressing their dissatisfaction over the delay in completing the construction of the big-budget flyover, the commuters as well as local residents said that it is a nightmare to navigate through these roads not just during the rainy season but during all seasons. Moreover, they said, the haphazardness in dumping construction materials on the roadside is unbelievable.
“It is not just inconvenient, it is downright dangerous. These days, even a short distance takes forever to cover, and the risk of accidents is always looming,” said a local resident.
The annoyed common people has urged upon Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to immediately intervene in the matter and ensure speedy completion of the flyover construction work.